SEMICONDUCTOR STRUCTURE AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure includes: providing a substrate and a bit line structure located on the substrate, the bit line structure including a top dielectric layer and capacitive contact holes being provided on two opposite sides of the bit line structure; forming a first spacer covering a sidewall of the top dielectric layer between the bit line structure and the capacitive contact hole and a second spacer covering a sidewall of the first spacer, a top surface of the second spacer being higher than that of the first spacer; removing at least part of the top dielectric layer to form a first void; forming a first sealing film by a deposition process; and removing a part of the first sealing film which is higher than the top surface of the second spacer, the remaining first sealing film is a first sealing layer.
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The present application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/CN2021/100314 filed on Jun. 16, 2021, which claims priority to China Patent Application No. 202010988656.4 filed on Sep. 18, 2020. The disclosures of these applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUNDWith the constant reduction of a feature size of a semiconductor integrated circuit, there is made a higher requirement to a manufacturing process of a Dynamic Random-Access Memory (DRAM).
SUMMARYEmbodiments of the present application relate generally to the field of semiconductors, and more specifically to a semiconductor structure and a manufacturing method thereof.
Embodiments of the present application provide a semiconductor structure and a manufacturing method thereof, which are favorable for improving the structural stability of a semiconductor structure.
In order to solve the foregoing problem, the embodiments of the present application provide a manufacturing method for a semiconductor structure, which includes: providing a substrate and a bit line structure located on the substrate, the bit line structure including a top dielectric layer, and capacitive contact holes being provided on two opposite sides of the bit line structure; forming a first spacer that covers a sidewall of the top dielectric layer, and forming a second spacer that covers a sidewall of the first spacer, the first spacer being located between the bit line structure and a capacitive contact hole, and a top surface of the second spacer being higher than a top surface of the first spacer; removing at least part of the top dielectric layer to form a first void; forming a first sealing film by a deposition process, the first sealing film covers the top surface of the first spacer and plugs a top opening of the void, a top surface of the first sealing film being higher than the top surface of the second spacer; and removing a part of the first sealing film which is higher than the top surface of the second spacer by a first planarization process, the remaining first sealing film is a first sealing layer.
Correspondingly, the embodiments of the present application also provide a semiconductor structure, which includes: a substrate, a bit line structure located on the substrate, and capacitive contact holes located on two opposite sides of the bit line structure; a first spacers, located between the bit line structure and a capacitive contact hole, a void existing between first spacers on the two opposite sides of the bit line structure; and a sealing layer, covering a top surface of the first spacer and plugging a top opening of the void, a thickness of the sealing layer on the first spacer being more than or equal to 30 nm in a direction perpendicular to the substrate.
One or more embodiments are exemplarily illustrated through graphs in drawings corresponding thereto, but the exemplary illustration does not limit the embodiments; and element with same reference numerals in the drawings represent similar elements, and unless otherwise specifically specified, the graphs in the drawings do not represent the proportion limit.
In order to make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present application clearer, each embodiment of the present application will now be described in detail in combination with the drawings. However, those of ordinary skill in the art can understand that a lot of technical details are proposed to make the present application better understood by a reader in the embodiments of the present application. However, the technical solution claimed in the present application can also be implemented without these technical details and various changes and modifications based on the embodiments.
With the constant reduction of the feature size, a spacing between adjacent conductors is constantly reduced, and a dielectric layer that isolates the adjacent conductors is increasingly thin. In a case that a dielectric constant of the dielectric layer is kept unchanged, the dielectric layer is thinner, the problem of parasitic capacitance between the adjacent conductors is more serious.
Referring to
The bottom-layer dielectric film 101 is configured to isolate the first conductive film 111a from an active area (not shown in the figure) in the substrate 10. The material of the bottom-layer dielectric film 101 includes silicon nitride. A part of the conductive film 111a contacts with the active area, to form a bit line contact. The material of the first conductive film 111a includes polycrystalline silicon. The material of the second conductive film 112a includes tungsten. The top-layer dielectric film 113a acts as a dielectric layer and protects the second conductive film 112a. The material of the top-layer dielectric film 113a includes silicon nitride.
In the present embodiment, a mask layer includes the first mask layer 121 and the second mask layer 122. The first mask layer 121 is harder than the second mask layer 122, so that the etching accuracy of a subsequent etching process is improved. In other embodiments, there is also an anti-reflective coating between the first mask layer and the second mask layer, to reduce the problems of reflection, standing waves, etc.
The material of the first mask layer 121 may include silicon nitride. The material of the second mask layer 122 may include polycrystalline silicon. The anti-reflective coating is usually a carbon coating.
In the present embodiment, the third mask layer 123 is configured to limit the position of a subsequently formed bit line structure.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
In the present embodiment, the bit line structure 11 includes a bottom dielectric layer (not shown in the figure), a conductive layer, and a top dielectric layer 113. The conductive layer includes a first conductive layer 111 and a second conductive layer 112. In other embodiments, the conductive layer may include one or more than two conductive layers.
Referring to
The first isolation film 131a covers a top surface and sidewall of the bit line structure 11 and a surface of the substrate 10. The second isolation film 132a covers a surface of the first isolation film 131a. The third isolation film 133a covers a surface of the second isolation film 132a.
In the present embodiment, the first isolation film 131a is harder than the second isolation film 132a, so as to support the bit line structure 11 well to ensure relatively high structural stability of the semiconductor structure. And the material of the first isolation film 131a may be the same as that of the top dielectric layer 113, so that the first isolation film 131a and the top dielectric layer 113 may subsequently be removed at the same time by the same removal process. The material of the third isolation film 133a is the same as the material of a subsequently used sacrificial layer, so that the sacrificial layer and the third isolation film 133a may be removed at the same time by the same removal process, which is favorable for reducing the process steps and shortening the process period. In addition, the etch selectivity between the second isolation film 132a and the first isolation film 131a and the etch selectivity between the second isolation film 132a and the third isolation film 133a are relatively high under the same etching process.
Specifically, the material of the first isolation film 131a may be silicon nitride. The material of the second isolation film 132a may be silicon oxynitride. The material of the third isolation film 133a may be silicon oxide.
Referring to
Referring to
In the present embodiment, a top surface of the first spacer 132 is lower than a top surface of the second spacer 133. A first height difference d1 between the top surface of the first spacer 132 and the top surface of the second spacer 133 is used to define the thickness of a subsequently formed first sealing layer. The thickness of the first sealing layer is required not only to ensure that the first sealing layer can be supported effectively without collapse but also to avoid increase of the overall size of the semiconductor structure by an excessively thick first sealing layer.
Specifically, the first height difference d1 ranges from 5 nm to 15 nm, e.g., 8 nm, 10 nm, or 13 nm.
It is to be noted that, since the first height difference d1 may be customized as required, the top surface of the first spacer 132 may be lower than, flush with, or higher than the top surface of the first isolation film 131a.
Referring to
The first sacrificial layer 141 is formed to avoid the first isolation film 131a covering the surface of the substrate 10 being etched when the first isolation film 131a and the top dielectric layer 113 are subsequently etched away to form a first void, thereby protecting the substrate 10.
In the present embodiment, the material of the first sacrificial layer 141 is different from the material of the second spacer 133. Specifically, the first sacrificial layer 141 and the second spacer 133 are removed at greatly different rates in the same polishing process. In such case, the progress of the polishing process can be controlled by obtaining the removal rate of the polishing process. Therefore, a subsequent planarization process may be stopped accurately at a plane where the top surface of the second spacer 133 is located to further improve the automation degree of the planarization process, and an operator does not need to detect the progress of the process. Further, stopping the planarization process accurately at the plane where the top surface of the second spacer 133 is located is favorable for ensuring that the thickness of the first sealing layer may be defined by the first height difference d1, thereby improving the accuracy of the thickness of the first sealing layer.
In the present embodiment, the removal rate of the first sacrificial layer 141 is higher than that of the second spacer 133 in the same polishing process. Specifically, the material of the first sacrificial layer 141 includes a photoresist. In other embodiments, the material of the first sacrificial layer is the same as that of the second spacer or the removal rate of the first sacrificial layer is lower than that of the second spacer. Specifically, the material of the first sacrificial layer includes silica.
Referring to
Since the etch selectivity is not infinite, the first sacrificial layer 141, the second spacer 133, and the first spacer 132 may also be correspondingly etched during etching of the first isolation film 131a and the top dielectric layer 113. When the first sacrificial layer 141 and the second spacer 133 are etched by different thicknesses, a second height difference d2 in a direction perpendicular to the substrate 10 may be formed. Meanwhile, since an etchant is for the first isolation film 131a and the top dielectric layer 113, the first sacrificial layer 141 and the second spacer 133 are etched by relatively small thicknesses, and the formed second height difference d2 is correspondingly small. The second height difference d2 is generally negligible relative to the first height difference d1.
Correspondingly, due to different etch selectivity, the first spacer 132 and the second spacer 133 may be etched by different thicknesses, which may further result in a change in the numerical value of the first height difference d1, i.e., formation of a first height difference fluctuation Δd1. Since the etchant is for the first isolation film 131a and the top dielectric layer 113, the first height difference fluctuation Δd1 formed by etching the first spacer 132 and the second spacer 133 is negligible relative to the first height difference d1.
Referring to
In the present embodiment, the first sealing film 151a covers a sidewall of the first spacer 132 and a top surface of the first spacer 132 to plug a top opening of the first void 134. In other embodiments, the first sealing film also covers a top surface of the top dielectric layer.
It is to be noted that the formation of the first sealing film 151a may compress a space of the first void 134. In the embodiment of the present application, the first void 134 refers to the remaining void space after compression.
It is also to be noted that a formed sealing layer is usually thin if there is no additional support. Specifically, the first sealing film 151a located between opposite first spacers 132 and on the first void 134 is relatively thin.
Referring to
In the present embodiment, based on the position limit of the second spacer 133 and the support of the first spacer 132, the first sealing layer 151 having a preset thickness may be formed without any mask. Therefore, high support performance of the first sealing layer 151 and high structural stability of the semiconductor structure are ensured.
Referring to
In the present embodiment, the top surface of the second sacrificial layer 142 is higher than the top surfaces of the spacer and the first sealing layer 151. In other embodiments, the top surface of the second sacrificial layer is flush with or lower than the top surface of the spacer.
In the present embodiment, the material of the second sacrificial layer 142 is the same as the material of the second spacer 133. As such, the second sacrificial layer 142 and the second spacer 133 may subsequently be removed rapidly by the same etchant.
Referring to
In the present embodiment, the substrate 10 may be divided into a first region A and a second region B that are spaced in a direction parallel to an extending direction of the bit line structure 11. The first region A between adjacent bit line structures 11 is configured to form a capacitive contact hole and fill a capacitive contact window. The second region B between adjacent bit line structures 11 is configured to form an isolation layer. The isolation layer is configured to divide capacitive contact holes and isolate adjacent capacitive contact windows.
In the present embodiment, the fifth mask layer 152 (referring to
In the present embodiment, an etchant for the dry etching process is for the material of the second sacrificial layer 142. Since the etching rate of the second sacrificial layer 142 is relatively high when the dry etching process is performed, the first spacer 132 is gradually exposed when the etchant etches the first sealing layer 151. Further, since the angle in the dry etching process is not always perpendicular to the surface of the substrate 10 (because of either the setting of the etching process or the process stability), the etchant may etch the exposed first spacer 132 and a further exposed sidewall of the first sealing layer 151, so that not only the second sacrificial layer 142 and the second spacer 133, but also a part of the first spacer 132 and a part of the first sealing layer 151 can be removed in the dry etching process. In such case, the first void 134 in the second region B (referring to
In the direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate 10, the thickness of the removed first spacer 132 is related to the etch selectivity of the second spacer 133 and the first spacer 132, and the thickness of the removed first sealing layer 151 is related to the etch selectivity of the second spacer 133 and the first sealing layer 151. Specifically, in the dry etching process, if the etch selectivity of the second spacer 133 and the first spacer 132 is higher, the removed first spacer 132 is thinner, and the remaining first spacer 132 is thicker. Correspondingly, if the etch selectivity of the second spacer 133 and the first sealing layer 151 is higher, the removed first sealing layer 151 is thinner, and the remaining first sealing layer 151 is thicker.
Referring to
In the present embodiment, the fifth mask layer 152 is removed before the deposition process, to avoid contact between a polishing device and at least three materials (the material of the fifth mask layer 152, the material of the second sacrificial layer 142, and the material deposited by the deposition process) during the subsequent planarization process and further avoid a concave-convex structure formed by great different removal rates of different materials affecting the polishing device. Therefore, relatively long service life of the polishing device is ensured or it is unnecessary to replace a polishing solution or mask component midway to avoid an excessive difference between the removal rates, and thus the process efficiency is improved.
In other embodiments, the fifth mask layer is retained when the deposition process is performed, and the fifth mask layer and the other film layers are subsequently removed by the planarization process, which reduce the process steps and shorten the process period.
In the present embodiment, the deposition process is used to form a packing layer 16. The packing layer 16 includes a second sealing layer (not shown) configured to plug the second void 135 and an isolation layer (not shown) configured to isolate adjacent capacitive contact windows. That is, the first sealing layer and the isolation layer are simultaneously formed in the same deposition process.
Specifically, an isolation film and second sealing film of which top surfaces are higher than the top surface of the first sealing layer 151 are formed at first. Then, the planarization process is performed on the isolation film and the second sealing film, to form the isolation layer and second sealing layer of which the top surfaces flush with the top surface of the first sealing layer 151.
In the present embodiment, the second sacrificial layer 142 on the first sealing layer 151 in the first region A is also removed by the planarization process to expose the first sealing layer 151.
Referring to
In order to form the capacitive contact hole to make the capacitive contact window filling the capacitive contact hole contact with the active area in the substrate 10, it is also necessary to remove the first isolation film 131a between the initial capacitive contact hole 161 and the substrate 10, to form the capacitive contact hole that exposes the surface of the substrate 10.
In the present embodiment, after the second sacrificial layer 142 is removed, the first isolation film 131a between the initial capacitive contact hole 161 and the substrate 10 is further removed to form the capacitive contact hole.
Referring to
In the present embodiment, the capacitive contact window 17 includes a first capacitive contact window 171 at the top and a second capacitive contact window 172 at the bottom. Contact resistance between the second capacitive contact window 172 and the substrate 10 is lower than contact resistance between the first capacitive contact window 171 and the substrate 10, which improves the signal transmission performance.
The material of the first capacitive contact window 171 includes tungsten. The material of the second capacitive contact window 172 includes polycrystalline silicon.
In the present embodiment, the thickness of the first sealing layer may be defined by multiple layers of spacers which are different in height without any additional mask. That is, the spacer whose top surface is lower provides a support and the spacer whose top surface is higher limits the position, to form a relatively thick first sealing layer to ensure relatively high support performance of the first sealing layer and relatively high structural stability of the semiconductor structure.
Correspondingly, an embodiment of the present application also provides a semiconductor structure, which may be manufactured by the abovementioned manufacturing method for a semiconductor structure.
Referring to
In the present embodiment, the void includes a first void (not shown in the figure) between the opposite capacitive contact holes and a second void 135 located between adjacent first voids in an extending direction of the bit line structure 11. A top surface of the first void is higher than a top surface of the second void 135.
In the present embodiment, the semiconductor structure further includes isolation layers, located on the two opposite sides of the bit line structure 11 and configured to isolate adjacent capacitive contact holes. The second void 135 is located between the opposite isolation layers.
In the present embodiment, the sealing layer includes a first sealing layer 151 configured to plug the first void and a second sealing layer configured to plug the second void 135. The thickness of the first sealing layer 151 in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the substrate 10 is more than or equal to 30 nm, e.g., 32 nm, 34 nm, or 36 nm.
In the present embodiment, the thickness of the void in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate 10 is less than or equal to 80 nm, e.g., 72 nm, 75 nm, or 78 nm. This avoids a structural collapse caused by the incapability of the void in supporting and ensures relatively high structural stability of the semiconductor structure.
In the present embodiment, the thickness of the sealing layer is greater than a preset value, which is favorable for ensuring high support performance of the sealing layer and avoiding collapse caused by the fact that the sealing layer does not meet a pressure-bearing requirement, thereby ensuring high structural stability of the semiconductor structure.
Compared with a conventional art, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application have the following advantages:
In the technical solutions above, the thickness of the first sealing layer may be defined by multiple layers of spacers which are different in height without any additional mask. That is, the spacer whose top surface is lower provides a support and the spacer whose top surface is higher limits the position, to form a relatively thick first sealing layer to ensure relatively high support performance of the first sealing layer and relatively high structural stability of the semiconductor structure.
In addition, the second sealing layer is thicker than the first sealing layer, and the second sealing layer can bear more compressive stress, thereby further relieving pressure born by the first sealing layer, avoiding the collapse of the first sealing layer, and correspondingly avoiding damage to the semiconductor structure and increase of parasitic capacitance to ensure relatively high structural stability of the semiconductor structure and relatively low parasitic capacitance between adjacent capacitive contact windows.
Those of ordinary skilled in the art can understand that the above-mentioned embodiments are specific embodiments for implementing the present application, and in practical application, various changes can be made to the embodiments in terms of forms and details without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application. Those skilled in the art may make respective variations and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application, and thus the protection scope of the present application should be subject to the scope defined by the claims.
In the embodiments of the present application, a substrate and a bit line structure located thereon are provided. The bit line structure includes a top dielectric layer and has capacitive contact holes on both sides. A first spacer that covers a sidewall of the top dielectric layer is formed, and a second spacer that covers a sidewall of the first spacer is formed. The first spacer is located between the bit line structure and the capacitive contact hole. A top surface of the second spacer is higher than a top surface of the first spacer. At least part of the top dielectric layer is removed to form a first void. A deposition process is performed to form a first sealing film that covers the top surface of the first spacer and plugs a top opening of the void. A top surface of the first sealing film is higher than the top surface of the second spacer. A part of the first sealing film which is higher than the top surface of the second spacer is removed by a first planarization process, the remaining first sealing film forms a first sealing layer. In such a manner, it is favorable for improving the structural stability of the semiconductor structure.
Claims
1. A manufacturing method for a semiconductor structure, comprising:
- providing a substrate, and a bit line structure located on the substrate, the bit line structure comprising a top dielectric layer, and capacitive contact holes being provided on two opposite sides of the bit line structure;
- forming a first spacer that covers a sidewall of the top dielectric layer, and forming a second spacer that covers a sidewall of the first spacer, wherein the first spacer is located between the bit line structure and a capacitive contact hole, and a top surface of the second spacer is higher than a top surface of the first spacer;
- removing at least part of the top dielectric layer to form a first void;
- forming a first sealing film by a deposition process, the first sealing film covering the top surface of the first spacer and plugging a top opening of the first void, a top surface of the first sealing film being higher than the top surface of the second spacer; and
- removing a part of the first sealing film which is higher than the top surface of the second spacer by a first planarization process, and the remaining first sealing film being a first sealing layer.
2. The manufacturing method for the semiconductor structure of claim 1, further comprising:
- after said forming the first sealing layer, filling a portion between adjacent bit line structures with a sacrificial layer; and
- forming a mask layer, and removing a part of the sacrificial layer, a part of the first sealing layer, a part of the first spacer, and a part of the second spacer through the mask layer in a same etching process, to etch a part of the first void into a second void.
3. The manufacturing method for the semiconductor structure of claim 2, further comprising:
- after said forming the second void, forming an isolation layer located between adjacent bit line structures and forming a second sealing layer that plugs a top opening of the second void, wherein the first sealing layer and the second sealing layer form a sealing layer.
4. The manufacturing method for the semiconductor structure of claim 3, wherein the isolation layer and the second sealing layer are formed through: forming the isolation layer and the second sealing layer by a second planarization process, wherein a top surface of the isolation layer and a top surface of the second sealing layer are flush with a top surface of the first sealing layer.
- forming an isolation film located between adjacent bit line structures and a second sealing film that plugs the top opening of the second void in a same deposition process; and
5. The manufacturing method for the semiconductor structure of claim 3, further comprising:
- after said forming the second sealing layer, removing the remaining sacrificial layer to form the capacitive contact hole; and
- filling the capacitive contact hole to form a capacitive contact window.
6. The manufacturing method for the semiconductor structure of claim 5, wherein the remaining sacrificial layer and the remaining second spacer are removed in a same etching process to form the capacitive contact hole.
7. A semiconductor structure, comprising:
- a substrate, a bit line structure located on the substrate, and capacitive contact holes located on two opposite sides of the bit line structure;
- a first spacer, located between the bit line structure and a capacitive contact hole, a void existing between first spacers on the two opposite sides of the bit line structure; and
- a sealing layer, covering a top surface of the first spacer and plugging a top opening of the void, a thickness of the sealing layer on the first spacer being more than or equal to 30 nm in a direction perpendicular to the substrate.
8. The semiconductor structure of claim 7, wherein the void comprises a first void between opposite capacitive contact holes and a second void located between adjacent first voids in an extending direction of the bit line structure.
9. The semiconductor structure of claim 8, further comprising isolation layers, located on the two opposite sides of the bit line structure and configured to isolate adjacent capacitive contact holes, wherein the second void is located between opposite isolation layers.
10. The semiconductor structure of claim 8, wherein the sealing layer comprises a first sealing layer configured to plug the first void and a second sealing layer configured to plug the second void.
11. The semiconductor structure of claim 8, wherein a top surface of the first void is higher than a top surface of the second void in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the substrate.
12. The semiconductor structure of claim 7, wherein a thickness of the void is less than or equal to 80 nm in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the substrate.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 3, 2021
Publication Date: Mar 24, 2022
Applicant: CHANGXIN MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES, INC. (Hefei City)
Inventors: Ming CHENG (Hefei), Xing JIN (Hefei), Ran LI (Hefei)
Application Number: 17/446,957